Thailand

As both Rotary and Lions clubs travel to Asia for both of their 2012 International Conventions, another country keeps coming up as a logical and affordable side trip…namely Singapore. Frankly, it is one of the most beautiful cities that I have ever been in, and is such a model for the future economic growth in SE Asia, that it is a most interesting and worthwhile area to visit. But, many folks in the US know very little about this dramatic world center…so here is some basic information.

Singapore is a small country on a small island, but with just over five million people it is a fairly crowded city and in fact second only to Monaco as the world’s most densely populated country. However, unlike many other densely populated countries, Singapore has over 50% of its area covered by greenery and with over 50 major parks and 4 nature reserves, it is an enchanting garden city. Large self-contained residential towns mushroomed all over the island, around the clean and modern city center. The center of the city located in the south — consisting roughly of the Orchard road shopping area, the Riverside, the new downtown Marina Bay area and also the skyscrapers-filled Shenton way financial district known in acronym-loving Singapore as the CBD (Central Business District).

The Districts are, in a sense, a small city…within a City. All in all, the tropical beauty alongside one of the largest ports in the World makes Singapore an ideal vacation destination, if only for a few days. You will never forget Singapore once you travel there.

Phuket, Thailand’s largest island, is often described as the Pearl of the South. Its natural resources-rocky peninsular, limestone cliffs, white powdery beach, tranquil broad bays and tropical in-land forest contribute to making it the South;s wealthiest, busiest, most visited and most popular island and province.

Accommodations range from world-class resorts to tropical style bungalows near the beaches, and Phuket food lovers are in paradise with the local lobster-feast.

Travel from Bangkok to Phuket is about an hour and a half…cost is about $300 round trip per person, and there are a number of flights each day.

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is wooing back travelers, with the statement that 97 per cent of tourist attractions nationwide are safe from floods.

In a statement, it said some 40 of Thailand’s 1,200 tourist attractions that appeal to international visitors, or around 3 per cent of Thailand’s key tourist attractions, have been affected by the floods. The World Heritage Site in Ayutthaya, around 50 km north of Bangkok, is also dry now. Read more>

There are two Bangkok’s…..one is a timeless city of canals, floating flower markets, and temples; the other is a metropolis of high-rises, traffic jams, and 21st century hyper-commerce.

Over 200 years ago, King Rama I named Bangkok, the City of Angels. Today, one can wander through the streets and into the luxury hotels…and you might think you’ve entered a Southeast Asian paradise…then you can float down the Chao Phraya River at sunrise in a gondola and you’ll likely experience a similar scene of mystery and even transcendence.

All of this may be possible if you attend the Rotary International Convention in Bangkok, Thailand May 6-9th, 2012. If you  are looking for low cost discounted air fares…send me an e-mail at  ronlargent@yahoo.com   and I will get you info.

The above is paraphrases of Joshua Hammer’s article on Bangkok in the Rotarian Magazine…and it is very well written. Thanks, Joshua.

This is the current situation in Bangkok concerning the flooding, etc….

http://www.thailandtourismupdate.com/Home

This is the letter that I am sending to Rotarians that are interested in attending the International Convention. If you are a Rotarian and have not gotten this, please read on. We are still getting the same prices as a month ago…which is a good sign.
I am a Rotarian in the Redding East Rotary Club in Redding, CA, and wanted to offer my services to you and others in your Club, if you are planning on going to the Rotary International Convention in Bangkok, Thailand in May 2012.

I have an international travel agency (www.transworldtravelservices.com) that offers discount air fares to various locations in the world. If you have a member of your Club that is in the Travel Industry, then please disregard this e-mail, as I believe we should do as much business with fellow local Rotarians as we can.

If you do not have a travel consultant, then I might be able to be of service. We are offering, through close affiliation with a major and highly respected US travel consolidator, excellent fares and airlines for flights from various locations in the US (LAX from $1001; SFO from $994; Portland from $1176; Seattle from  $909, DFW from $1348; Houston from $1732,depending on times and flights), along with a flexible time schedule, depending on the specific times you are looking for. We also offer pre and post convention trips and tours both in Thailand and in other Asian countries. Obviously fares from the west coast may be less than from the Midwest, but we also have some good prices from east coast departure cities, should you know of a Rotarian that will be traveling from other areas. The Rotary International Convention “package” offers excellent hotels, which are very competitive and recommended by us.

If this is of interest to you, and to others that might be going with you, please respond to this memo accordingly and I will get you some prices for you to consider. Here is the information that I need.

1. Preferred dates of travel (approximate within 2 or 3 days)
2. Number of seats
3. Preferred US departure location
4. Interested in a Pre-Convention trip….or a Post-Convention trip, and if so, what preferred location and the time allowed for a trip.

We have very good relationships with major international air carriers, and also offer a very complete air travel insurance policy plan, should you be interested. Our goal is to be sure that you are treated with the highest degree of professionalism in every respect; that you are communicated with on a very regular basis on a 24/7 schedule; and that you are treated with our VIP Concierge service. And, for those that have not traveled internationally, we provide a pre-trip orientation that is very complete and designed for the inexperienced traveler. Our pre-trip packet includes everything from passports to arrival airport protocol, as well as what one can expect in Bangkok, and Thailand….which, by the way, is a GREAT place to visit.

Thanks, and I will await your response, and best wishes,

Ron Largent
Transworld Travel Services – Global Travel International
888-657-1277

This kind of says it all….and this will be the place to be come May 6-9th in Bangkok, Thailand

JOIN US IN BANGKOK

This very well written background of Bangkok, and Thailand, struck me as very accurate and appropriate based on my most recent visit to this great area. I wanted to pass this on to all that are interested in Bangkok.

“As the political, economic, cultural, culinary, and spiritual capital of Thailand, Bangkok features both old-world charm and modern convenience, at times served up in an apparently chaotic manner, but always with a gracious smile.

Invariably, every Thailand holiday includes a visit to the kingdom’s capital city, Bangkok, or Krung Thep, “the city of angels” as it is known to its inhabitants. Many tourists who travel to Bangkok are immediately overwhelmed by the sheer size of the city and the vast number of attractions Bangkok has to offer. Indeed there are a wide variety of Bangkok sightseeing opportunities spanning more than two centuries of rapid development following the city’s founding in 1782 by King Rama I, the first king of the present Chakri dynasty; since that auspicious date, Bangkok has swelled to a cosmopolitan, 21st century city of more than ten million inhabitants.
While the immensity of the city and the chaos of its bustling streets can be intimidating at first, those who spend some time in Bangkok are quickly enamored by the variety of attractions Bangkok contains, from exotic temples, which epitomize Thailand’s strong Buddhist history, to modern shopping malls, which have make shopping an integral part of any Bangkok holiday. As the kingdom’s political, economic, cultural, culinary, and spiritual capital, Bangkok features attractions guaranteed to please visitors either simply passing through the city or spending their entire Thailand holiday in Bangkok.
Nearly every Bangkok holiday includes a visit to Thailand’s Grand Palace, arguably the premier Bangkok sightseeing attraction. Situated in the heart of Bangkok’s Rattakosin district, the gleaming spires of the Grand Palace are conveniently located nearby Bangkok’s most spectacular temples, including the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Keaw), the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun), and Wat Po, which features an enormous reclining Buddha and was home of the first Thai massage school in the kingdom. These iconic destinations are top attractions to all visitors who travel to Bangkok looking to appreciate Thailand’s unique cultural traditions.
In fact, there are more than 400 functioning Buddhist temples throughout the city and it’s not uncommon when you travel in Bangkok to spot saffron robed monks collecting morning alms or traveling throughout out the city, including along the Chao Phraya, the “River of Kings”, which passes alongside Rattakosin and the Temple of the Dawn.

The winding Chao Phraya is connected by numerous canals from which Bangkok has earned its nickname the “Venice of the East”; when you travel around Bangkok, a cruise on the Chao Phraya, a visit to a floating market, or an exploration of the cities “back alley” canals (klongs) are themselves unique Bangkok attractions.

Other historical and cultural Bangkok sightseeing ‘must sees’ include the National Museum, Vimanmek Mansion, and Suan Pakkad Palace, all of which either house fine art or are national treasures in their own right.

Beyond Bangkok’s historical district, there are plenty of other attractions that make a Bangkok holiday both enjoyable and memorable. While modern “downtown” districts along Silom and Sukhumvit Roads were once nightmares of oppressive heat and unbearable traffic, a modern and convenient electric rail system, including an elevated sky-train and underground subway have made travel in Bangkok both easy and enjoyable. Connecting hotels directly to modern shopping malls and traditional markets, such as the Suan Lum Night Bazaar and Chatuchak (JJ) weekend market, the MRT and BTS electric rail systems have literally elevated Bangkok shopping to world class status.
Of course, no Thailand holiday is complete without experiencing Thailand’s vibrant nightlife, during which time you may even witness the occasional elephant wandering the Bangkok streets!
Whether, the purpose of your Thailand holiday is to immerse yourself in Thailand’s unique culture or simply to splurge in Bangkok shopping malls, when you travel to Bangkok you are guaranteed a fascinating experience of both old world charm and modern convenience and luxury.Over the last few decades, Bangkok, Thailand’s capital city, has changed into a modern, exciting, and sophisticated city. Bangkok offers visitors not only the modern amenities they would expect from other cosmopolitan cities, but also a unique treasure trove of cultural attractions. Thailand, in the heart of Southeast Asia, was never colonized and thus kept its unique culture and heritage intact. Bangkok offers visitors the opportunity to experience a fascinating glimpse of Thailand’s gentle culture amidst the bustle of a great and dynamic metropolis. Amazingly, this great city has had astounding success in combining the ancient and modern worlds.
For tourists, Bangkok has a feast of attractions to offer. The city is dotted with 400 glittering Buddhist temples of great beauty, magnificent palaces, classical dance performances, numerous shopping centers, and a still functioning traditional way of life, especially along the canals and the Chao Phraya River, the “River of Kings”, which winds through the city; Bangkok truly is the “Venice of the East”.

This, in my opinion, kind of tells it “like it is”….a great city and a wonderful place to visit.

I have been receiving some quotes from the major air carriers on prices for the Rotary International Convention in Bangkok, Thailand the first week of May, 2012. Now is the time, if you haven’t already, to start thinking seriously about some flights, prices, schedules, etc…and we are here to help.

Here are some of the lower prices from various US destinations to Bangkok, traveling the first week and returning the second week of May, 2012.

San Francisco       $1270

Los Angeles           $1270

Dallas-Ft Worth   $1444

Houston                  $1584

Atlanta                     $1667

Chicago                    $1321

Washington DC     $1597

NYC -JFK                $1212

Boston                      $1391

This does not include any side trips…all direct to Bangkok, and some of them have connections in Japan, Hong  Kong, and Singapore. Please contact us for both per-convention and post-convention “side trips”, both in Thailand and in other Asian countries.

On all air travel, prices are not confirmed until they are confirmed on a group sale or paid for by an individual. Please consider this in your travel planning, for prices, most likely, will not be going down in the coming Spring of 2012.